


Even the Homecoming King Cries

by Kdubbz1990



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Homecoming, Homecoming King, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:21:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22759183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kdubbz1990/pseuds/Kdubbz1990
Summary: Not everything pretty sparkles and shinesAnd even the homecoming King cries
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Kudos: 37





	Even the Homecoming King Cries

Jaemin is beautiful, smart, and one of the kindest people you would ever meet. To everyone in school it seemed like he led the perfect life - the life everyone dreamed of. He was a friend to all, he got top grades, and he honestly could date anyone he wanted.

Needless to say, no one is surprised when Jaemin wins homecoming king. It was expected. Even if the homecoming queen it girl had lobbied for her boyfriend to become the homecoming king. Her and Jaemin had a past, she had confessed her love for him and he had politely declined stating that he wasn’t interested in dating right now and apologizing profusely. She had then become the leader of the Anti Jaemin Squad - consisting really of only her and her group of friends. When they shared the obligatory Homecoming royalty dance she shared a few choice words with him - but Jaemin kept his head up and smiled until the end of the song. When the dance was over Jaemin bowed and walked away.

Jaemin is put together, he always keeps his head up, and doesn’t let any comments get him down. This is why it surprises Jeno when he stumbles upon Jaemin sitting in a back hallway at the Homecoming venue crying. Jeno has always watched Jaemin from afar - he, like so many others, intrigued with the perfect Na Jaemin. He walks up to where Jaemin is sitting and sits down next to him. The crying boy doesn’t look up.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jeno asks the Homecoming King.

“Huh? Oh, no, it’s nothing,” Jaemin responds wiping the tears off of his face.

“Jaemin, you are sitting in a hallway crying after just being named Homecoming King, I would say that is something,” Jeno reasons with him, “Did she say something to you?”

“She did, but I don’t care about that,” Jaemin brushes off, “She is still just mad that I rejected her.”

“Then what is it?” Jeno asks.

“I’m just tired,” Jaemin sighs, “Emotionally tired.”

“What do you mean?” Jeno asks.

“Do you think I wanted to be Homecoming King?” Jaemin asks.

“Doesn’t everyone?” Jeno responds.

“Not me,” Jaemin answers, “I am sick of playing this part. Sick of making everyone think I have this perfect life. Do you know what my parents said to me before I left?”

“What?” Jeno asks.

“Nothing, my dad wasn’t there, he was on another business trip, which is just code for with his other family he thinks we don’t know about, and my mom was passed out on the couch drunk,” Jaemin says, “Not exactly the glamorous life that everyone imagines me to have is it?”

“I’m sorry Jaemin, that’s terrible,” Jeno says looking at the boy.

“That’s why I put up this front. I smile even though I am broken inside. I don’t need people to look at me differently. I don’t want people to feel sorry for me. But I am tired,” Jaemin says.

“What if I told you I this doesn’t make me feel sorry for you,” Jeno says, “What if I told you that this makes me admire you even more.”

“I don’t believe that,” Jaemin says.

“Well you should,” Jeno shoots back, “The fact that you can pick yourself up from that. You are still a kind person, you are smart, and you don’t let any of it affect the way you go about life.”

“Jeno, I am sitting here in a suit crying, I would say that kind of affects me,” Jaemin disagrees.

“Nope, this is a normal response to everything you have been bottling up,” Jeno says, “If you really let it affect you, you would be mean, you wouldn’t do well in school, you would do anything you could to get attention.”

“Maybe you are right,” Jaemin says, “Thank you Jeno, for stopping and talking to me. Especially since we have never really talked before. Sorry for unloading my sob story on you.”

“Anytime,” Jeno says getting up and reaching to pull Jaemin up, “Come on, let’s go dance.”

Jaemin smiled letting Jeno pull him up. Jaemin wipes his face one more time and the two head back into the dance. Jaemin stuck with Jeno for the rest of the night - genuinely enjoying his company. It was getting close to the end of the night and things were starting to slow down.

“Can I have this dance?” Jeno asks, offering his hand.

“You sure can,” Jaemin responds, taking Jeno’s hand and following him to the dance floor.

The two swayed under the dim lights, Jaemin’s hands around Jeno’s neck and Jeno’s hands around Jaemin’s waist.

“Thank you,” Jaemin says for the second time that night, “For giving me a reason to genuinely smile tonight.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Jeno says.

The Homecoming King and the boy who found him crying ended up dating after that night. Jeno made Jaemin happy in his otherwise dark world. Jeno encouraged Jaemin to continue to open up. He was the only one who knew the truth behind the Homecoming King’s smile.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based off of the song Homecoming Queen? by Kelsea Ballerini
> 
> If you ever need inspiration for a story - listen to country music - it honestly gives me so much inspiration - every song is a story.
> 
> I hope you liked this - just a short oneshot that popped into my brain. 
> 
> Feel free to let me know what you think or if you have any other songs you think I should listen to for inspiration.


End file.
